The Truth Changes Everything
by davis-baker
Summary: Post Finale fic Set right after Ryan sees the kid. They both have many things in common...maybe more things than they think... PLEASE R&R!
1. Chapter 1

The Truth Changes Everything

**A/N - Please REVIEW!!!!**

**ALSO, If you haven't already, check out my other stories, 'The Journey's Just Begun', and 'You're My Destiny'. Those of you that are reading 'The Journey's Just Begun', I recently posted chapter 6 and only got 2 reviews again!!! Please, please, please review that story!**

**Okay...well...now onto this story...**

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Chapter 1 -

"Hey kid," Ryan started. The boy looked up rapidly in response to Ryan, "You need help?" The kid glanced down, returning to his previous position, fidgeting with his hands, staring at his old, worn out sneakers that he has had for the past two years. Ryan stood there, waiting for the kid's next response. This whole situation reminded Ryan of what took place nearly fourteen years ago. Him needing help, Sandy taking him in. This kid is like who Ryan was. This kid _is_ who Ryan was. Sure, this kid looked maybe two or three years younger than Ryan had been, but they were still in the same situation, acting the same exact way, quiet, brooding, lonely, and abandoned in. Ryan wanted to help this boy, he _needed_ to help this kid. As if the kid heard and was listening to Ryan's thoughts, he lifted his head up once more. Just staring into this boy's eyes made Ryan shiver. Flashbacks of him trying to get help flooded his mind.

"You need help?," Ryan asked once more. The kid just shrugged, looking embarrassed and ashamed, as he looked back down, now fidgeting with his torn sneakers, "Well," Ryan said, pulling out a piece of paper from his pants pocket, he leaned against the Range Rover, scribbling his number on it, he then walked towards the timid boy, "If you need help, call me. My name's Ryan." The boy hesitantly accepted the wrinkled paper Ryan had offered. Ryan opened the trunk of his car, placing his briefcase and scroll of paper containing his latest architecture project inside. As he placed his key in the car door, he heard the boy's voice.

"Wait," The voice cracked, "Yes...yes, I need help."

Ryan nodded, opening the car door to the backseat, motioning for the boy to come, as he carefully tried to fit the boy's bike in the trunk. The kid got up from his position slowly, watching Ryan's every movement. As he climbed into the back seat, he gave Ryan a small nod. Ryan took this as a thank-you and nodded back. After a few minutes of fighting with the bike, Ryan slammed the trunk closed and got into the driver's seat. The two boys rode in silence for a good ten minutes when Ryan spoke up causing the boy's head to jerk up.

"What's your name?"

"Da-Dan-Daniel." He stuttered from nervousness.

"Where's your mom? Dad?"

"I'd rather not say..." Daniel said trailing off.

"Well, Daniel, I think we have a lot of things in common," Ryan said, Daniel giving him a questioning look from the backseat, "Fourteen years ago, my dad was in jail, mom, alcoholic and drug addict, kicked me out. I needed help. I needed to make a life on my own, at fifteen there really wasn't much I could do. Especially with my background, always getting into trouble. But, one family had faith in me, they helped me out."

"My mom...," Daniel started after Ryan finished, he took a deep breath, "Was arrested couple a times, blamed me for all of the times. Drinks a lot. Sometimes she gets outta control...hits me...Earlier today, she threw me out. Said I was too big of trouble, she told me to go cause trouble somewhere else. I was by the payphone...trying to call my mom's boyfriend, but he was too stoned to understand anything. And I don't have any other family. Grandma bailed on us when I was four, said my mom needed to make a life on her own, not depend on her. So I just sat there, by the phone...for hours...nothin' else to do..." Daniel confessed all as he stared down.

"Sorry man," Ryan said, "It sucks," Daniel nodded, "And dad?"

"I wouldn't know. Never had a dad, just me and my mom. I have my dad's last name though...don't know why...makes no sense..but...ya know..."

"How old are you, Daniel?"

"Thirteen."

Ryan nodded and the two were in silence. Daniel was only thirteen and was all alone in the world. It was ironic and weird, Daniel and Ryan, years apart, total strangers, somehow being connected by one thing. That one thing bringing them together, today.

Daniel stared out of the car window, watching the gray, colorless land turn into bright, lively colors as they entered the San Francisco Bay. Ryan then pulled into the driveway of a nice Berkeley home.

"Here we are," Ryan said as he pulled the keys out of the ignition. He then noticed Daniel not moving, "C'mon..."

"Don't you need to talk to your family first?"

"It'll be fine," Ryan said, opening the car door, "My wife will understand." Daniel nodded, unbuckling his seatbelt.

"Taylor?" Ryan called through the house as Daniel closed the door gently closed the door behind them.

"Hey Rya-," Taylor started but stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Daniel next to her, "Well hello," Taylor said waving at Daniel, "I see you brought home a guest, Ryan? Can we talk?"

"Uh sure. Daniel, make yourself comfortable." Taylor then took Ryan's hand, leading him into the kitchen.

"Why is there a teenager in our house?"

"I got outta work and saw him alone. His mom kicked him out. He's me, Taylor. I need to help him, I just need to. He told me his whole story. Doesn't know his dad, mom is an alcoholic, drug addict, she beats him, Taylor. She kicked him out this morning."

"Oh my god." Taylor said, putting her hand over her mouth.

"So you'll let me help him out?"

"Of course," She said giving him a smile, "But what are we gonna do with him?"

"I don't know yet. I'm gonna talk to Sandy, he'll know."

Taylor nodded, "Well, you should go check on him. I'll be in here. When you're done, I'll meet him."

"All right, be right back," Ryan said, giving her a quick kiss, "Hey," He said, walking towards Daniel who was standing by the door, looking as if he were ready to leave, "You going somewhere?"

"Thanks for everything Ryan, but, your wife obviously doesn't want me here..."

"Oh, no, Daniel, she's fine with it. She wants to help."

"Really?" Daniel asked with a glint of hope in his eyes.

"Yeah, we both do."

Daniel smiled, "This...this is really new to me...Nobody's really cared about me before, well my mother once did, but that was before my grandmother left us," He said looking down at the carpeted floor, "So...I guess...thanks."

"No problem," Ryan said patting him on his back, "Now listen, my dad, he's the one that helped me, he's gonna help you too. He's going to need to know your last name..."

"Okay. Atwood..."...

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**A/N - PLEASE REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!!!!!!!!!!! THANKS!!!! **


	2. Chapter 2

The Truth Changes Everything

**A/N - Thanks SO MUCH for all the awesome reviews!!! Enjoy this chapter! And please remember to review at the end: )**

**BTW, this chapter will start a few minutes after the last chapter left off...**

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"Daniel..., wait, please just wait..." Ryan said, begging the teen not to leave.

"I'm outta here." Daniel said, quickly throwing his sweatshirt over his shoulders, practically running out the door. Ryan rubbed his forehead, frustrated, looking around, trying to process what the hell had just happened, in say, the past five minutes.

"_Okay. Atwood..."_

"_Atwood?" Ryan asked, his voice cracking, heart pounding faster with each beat. This kid couldn't possible be his? Could it? It couldn't be his brother because Frank didn't have any kids with anyone else, well, not that Ryan had known of. Cousin? Maybe... Ryan never did keep in touch with his relatives... But for some reason, some odd reason, Ryan just knew that this kid was his, he just knew. _

_Daniel nodded his head. _

"_Is...Is your mother...is your mother Teresa?"_

"_Yeah," Daniel responded, looking down, "Why? You know her?"_

And at the very moment, Ryan was about to faint, his vision going blurry, but he didn't. He just stood there. Just recalling that moment made Ryan almost loose his balance, he carefully sat down in the chair, letting out an exasperated sigh. By now, Ryan couldn't exactly recall what happened after that. Besides revelations for both him, and the young boy. Ryan remembered telling Daniel, that he and Teresa were old friends. And then, somehow, Ryan was able to say that he in fact is the father of Daniel. And then Daniel burst, anger very evident in his face, sadness washed over him as well. He screamed about how it was all Ryan's fault that his mother, well Teresa, and he ended up this way. Because, Ryan couldn't take the responsibility that followed his actions. And Ryan tried to explain, that he _did_ take the responsibility. Teresa told him that the doctor's couldn't find a heartbeat, that she had lost the baby. And then the second time, when he saw her with a toddler, who he now knew was Daniel, she had immediately said it was Eddie's, not Ryan's. She lied to him! She fucking lied to him about his own son. Hell, if he hadn't saw Daniel earlier today, he would have never known he had a son! What was he supposed to do know? He had a son! How was he supposed to tell Taylor? She never even knew that he had gotten a girl pregnant.

"Ryan," Taylor said walking into the room, "What's wrong? Where's Daniel?"

"He um... he left."

"Left? Where'd he go?"

"Um...I don't know..."

"Ryan, you don't know? He's thirteen and you let him run away? Let me go see if he's outside..."

"Taylor, he's not..."

"Well, let me check."

"Taylor, stop," Ryan said, touching her arm, "I need to tell you something."

"What is it?," Taylor asked, realizing it was serious, Ryan sat, speechless, "Ryan? Please tell me, you're scaring me."

"Okay...Um...sit down."

"Ryan, you're really getting me nervous. Please just tell me."

"Taylor, Daniel is my, my son."

"He's your son?"

"Yes."

"Haha, very funny Ryan," Taylor said, laughing it off and dismissing it as a joke, "Now what do you really have to tell me?"

"Taylor, I'm not joking."

"Oh my god, you're not."

"Now listen..." Ryan started but was cut off by Taylor.

"I'm gonna go upstairs." Taylor said quietly, quickly wiping away tears that welled in her eyes.

"Taylor, please, just wait. Taylor..." But she was already gone... What was Ryan going to do with Daniel, and now with Taylor?

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"Taylor, are you awake?" Ryan asked later that evening as he entered the darkened bedroom.

"I'm not talking to you." She replied bitterly, scooting towards the very end of the bed that she lay on.

"Taylor, please."

"You didn't tell me you had a kid, Ryan." She said coldly, her back still faced towards Ryan.

"I...I didn't know."

"You didn't know? And I'm supposed to believe that?"

"Yes, look, Taylor, I really didn't know," Ryan said, moving closer towards the bed, "At the end of sophomore year, I got a girl pregnant and-."

"Wait..."

"What?"

"So you knew she was pregnant?"

"Yes but-."

"No, Ryan. You still should have told me you got someone pregnant, no matter what happened. We've been together for so many years and you hid this from me. Where supposed to tell each other everything, and correct me if I'm wrong, but getting a girl pregnant is a big deal."

"I know but-."

"No. Why couldn't you tell me? This really hurts me, Ryan. I'm going to sleep." Taylor said, being stubborn, pulling the covers over her head.

"Fine. Goodnight, Love you." Ryan said, walking at of the room with a frown on his face.

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"Hey guys." Ryan said the next day, opening the door where Seth, Summer, and their two-year-old daughter, Emma, stood.

"Hi, Uncle Atwood!" Emma exclaimed, running from her mother's grip to Ryan.

"Hey, Em."

"Atwood, what did you do to Taylor?" Summer asked walking inside.

"I didn't do anything."

"Uh huh, sure. Where is she?"

"Upstairs," Ryan said as Summer rushed upstairs, he then turned his attention to Seth, "I'm gonna get my a-s-s kicked by your wife," Ryan said, spelling out 'ass', after all, there was a two-year-old in the room.

"What did you do, man?" Seth asked, lifting Emma up.

"Well...," Ryan started as the phone rang, "Let me go get that."

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"Taylor? What's wrong?"

"Ryan, apparently, has a son."

"What?!"

"Yeah, he said he got this girl pregnant sophomore year, and after that, I wouldn't let him finish."

"Sophomore year? Wait a sec...Teresa."

"What?"

"He got Teresa pregnant. But she said she lost the baby, I don't understand."

"Me either. And it just hurts that he didn't tell me about it. I mean, we've been together for so long, he should have told me."

"Look, Taylor, Atwood should have definitely told you, but, as far as I know, I think he never knew about this kid, he would have told you. Don't you think?"

"I don't-" Taylor started but was cut off by Ryan who appeared at the doorway.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I got a call, and I need to go..."

"Ryan, where are you going?"

"I'll explain everything when I get back." Ryan said quickly, rushing out the door.

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Ryan pulled up in front of the juvenile hall. The same juvie that he was in. He parked the car, then entered.

"May I help you?"

"I'm here to see Daniel...Daniel Atwood."

"Right this way." Ryan was led to the visiting table where he sat, and across from him, sat Daniel.

"Thanks for coming." Daniel mumbled.

Ryan nodded, "What did you do?"

"Stole some food from the store."

"Why would you do that?"

"Thought I would be on my own. I have no money and I needed the food."

"You didn't have to run away."

"Why do you care? Huh? If you cared, you would have stayed with my mom to take care of me. But you didn't."

"Daniel, it's not like that."

"Really?" He asked in a bitter voice.

"Really. Now," Ryan said, changing the subject, "Are you going to be leaving this place soon?"

"Yup, already met with the judge. My mom's comin' soon."

"Teresa..."

"Yes. The girl you got pregnant. She raised me all alone."

"Alright, if you think you're gonna make me guilty, kid, you're not. Because, it's not like I didn't want to raise you, your mother lied to me."

"I don't get what you're trying to tell me."

"Look," Ryan started but was cut off when an adult approached the two.

"Daniel Atwood?"

"Yes..." Daniel looked up.

"You're free to go," She said, unlocking his handcuffs, "Follow me outside."

"Bye." Daniel said as he was walked away.

"Nope, not gonna be bye." Ryan muttered under his breath. Ryan quickly got up and ran outside, watching Daniel and Teresa's interaction with one another. It reminded him of when his mother, Dawn, picked him up from juvie.

"You are such a screw up!"

"Mom...mom...I'm sorry." Daniel stuttered. Daniel had two personalities. He seemed tough on the outside, but on the inside, he really was sensitive, like Ryan.

"Yeah, you will be sorry when we get home. Get in the fucking car!"

"I'm sorry mom..."

"Yeah, sorry, sorry, GO!" He quickly got in as she slammed the door closed. Ryan got in his car shortly after and followed Teresa's old, beat up car. Eventually they reached their house. As Teresa yelled some more at Daniel, Ryan noticed Daniel pull a piece of paper out of his pocket. It was the phone number Ryan had given Daniel. As Daniel stared down, drowning out Teresa's yells, Ryan realized, this would not be the last he saw of Daniel, definitely not the last.

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**A/N - PLEASE REVIEW! THANKS:)**


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